Sep 8 Sun
Who invented the sacraments?
God is ready to give salvation to every kind of person who wants it.
St James describes God’s own (and so ours by duty) preferential option for the poor and those in need in any way. It is not that God does not love the rich but the poor are in urgent material need.
Our Lord uses physical signs to cure a man’s deafness. “He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’— that is, ‘Be opened!’”
Signs indicate but do not effect what they signify. If you plant the Philippine flag (the “sign” of the country) on Mount Everest, the Himalayas do not become Philippine territory.
Jesus usually conveys his gifts by the Sacraments of the Church, signs that effect what they signify.
Christ established a sacramental Church; that is, Christ pours out his graces on humanity largely through the seven sacraments.
The seven sacraments fulfill the types and figures of the Old Covenant, signify and make actively present the salvation wrought by Christ, and prefigure and anticipate the glory of heaven.
The sacraments signify and make actively present the salvation wrought by Christ. For example, the baptismal washing is a sign of inward cleansing from sin which actually effects that inward purification, won by the merits of Christ.
The sacraments also prefigure and anticipate the glory of heaven.
Thus, we must go to the Sacraments and to the needy.
Since God’s grace largely comes to us through the Sacraments, we must go to them:
Don’t delay your own child’s baptism; encourage others to have their children baptized as soon as possible.
See that your children receive First Confession, First Eucharist, and Confirmation as soon as the Church permits.
Go to confession frequently and according to a schedule, like every month on a certain day and at a certain time. Go to confession as soon as possible if you are aware of having committed a serious sin.
Receive Communion frequently, even daily, provided you are in a state of grace.
Be sure that family members who are in danger of death receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
If you are a priest, call on the graces of Holy Orders to conform your will to God’s will.
If you are married, take advantage of your matrimonial graces to be faithful Christian spouses and parents. Don’t forget that the natural marital act open to life is a renewal of your mutual covenant with God.
Go also to the needy.
Since Christ loves them so much, we show our love for Christ by aiding them, and because they are everywhere, even in our own families, we can show our love for Christ and for them whenever we want.
So, who is needy around you? What can you do for them?
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